Polishing machine



T. F. FHILIPPI4 POLISHING MACHINE June 22, 1943.

Filed April 29, 1940.

4 Sheets-Sheet l June 22, 1943. T. F. PHILIPPI POLISHING MACHINE Filed April 29, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 22, 1943. `1. F. PHILIPPI POLISHING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet C5 Filed April 29, 1940 mmm.

muv Mm June 22, 1943'. T. F. PHILIPPI POLISHING MACHINE Filed April 29 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 u \48 6g 7L. .4. g :2,95% WMO? Patented June 22, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE y2,322,589 PoLIsmNG MACHINE Theodore F. Philippi, East St. Louis, Ill. Application April 29, 1940, serial No. 332,251

8 Claims.

This invention relates to polishing` machines of the kind wherein the work that is to be polished, such as a sheet of stainless steel, is recipe rocated beneath a polishing unit including Yan endless polishing belt mounted on the freeend of a supporting frame that overhangs and is pivoted for vertical swinging movement relative to said sheet. The invention has for its principal objects to simplify the operation of removing and replacing the endless polishing belt; to provide means for quickly and easily raising and lowering the belt supporting frame and for regulating the pressure of the polishing belt on the sheet; Ato provide for cushioning the polishing unit against vibration and thus eliminate chatter marks on the finished surface of the sheet; and to attain other advantages hereinafter appearing. The invention consists in the polishing machine and in the construction, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specication and wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur,r

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a sheet metal polishing machine embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of said machine,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan View of said machine in the region of the polishing unit, with the upper stretch or run of the endless polishing belt shown broken away.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the portion of the* machine shown in Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4. showing a position of the parts during the operation of removing and replacing the endless polishing belt,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view, partly in vertical section, of the mechanism for raising and lowering the polishing unit and for regulating the working pressure thereof,

Fig. 'l is a central vertical section on the line 'I-'I in Fig. 6,

Figs. 8 and 9 are enlarged vertical cross-sec- I thereon which supports the sheet or plate C that is to be polished and is reciprocated beneath a continuously operating polishing unit D carried by the free end of a supporting frame E that overhangs said carriage and is pivotally supported on said framework for vertical swinging movement relative to said carriage.

The framework A comprises longitudinal side members or rails I that are supported at their rear ends by upright side frame members or standards 2 and at points along their length by short upright members or legs 3. The two uprights or standards 2 at the rear ends of the side rails I are connected by a horizontal plate or shelf 4, which supports an electric motor 5 for operating the carriage B; the portion of said side rails located forward of said shell 4 constitute a track for the wheels 6 of the carriage B.

The rear end of the carriage B is secured by means of a bracket 1 to the upper run or stretch of an endless sprocket chain 8 that extends longitudinally of the machine intermediate between the side rails I and passes around a driving sprocket wheel 9 at the rear end of the machine and an idler sprocket wheel Ill located beneath said carriage. The driving sprocket wheel 9 is secured to a horizontal cross shaft ,iournaled in the rear standards 2 of the machine; and the idler sprocket Wheel ID is journaled in a bracket I I seated on a pair of channel shaped cross members I2 that extend from side rail to side rail of said machine. The mechanism for imparting a lcontinuous back and forth or reciprocating movement to the carriage includes the electric motor 5, the sprocket chain Il and a suitable driving connection between said motor and the driving gear 9 for said chain including two driving belts I3 that are alternately loosened and tightened by a V-shaped rocker arm I4 carrying rollers I5 adapted to alternately engage said belts to tighten them. The rocker arm I4 is actuated by a slide bar I6 having spring abutments II thereon adapted to be engaged by the ends of the carriage during the reciprocating movement thereof. Said bar may also be operated by means of a hand lever I8 at the front end of the machine.

The hereinbefore described carriage reciprocating mechanism forms no part of the present invention, and reference is hereby made to my Patent No. 2,078,408, dated April 2,7, 1937, for a. detailed description of the` construction and operation of said carriage feed and control.

bular side frame members I9 that are connected at their free outer ends by a cross bar and are pr-ovided at their hinged ends with end fittings 2| that are journaled on a cross pipe or rod 22 mounted in supporting brackets 23 that rest on and are bolted to the shelf 4 that connects the upper ends of the two standards 2 at the rear end of the machine. The polishing unit D at the forward or free end portion of the hinged frame E comprises two side frames 24 and 25 that are rigidly suspended from the respective tubular side frame members I9 by means of suitable clamping brackets 26 and are rigidly connected near their ends by combined struts and tie rods 21 and substantially midway of said ends `by a cross bar 28 that extends some distance outwardly beyond the outer side face of the left hand side frame 21'4. side frames 24 and 25 is an endless polishing belt 29 that passes around parallel front and rear rolls 30 and 3| and beneath a lower intermediate roll 32, all disposed between and cross-` rear or driver roll 3| extends outwardly beyond the right hand side frame of the polishing unit or head D and is provided with a pulley 33 that is driven through an endless belt 34 from a driving pulley 35 fixed to the drive shaft of an electric motor 36 mounted on a shelf 31rthat is fixed to the hinged supporting frame E and is pivoted to the cross rod 22 that pivotally supports the rear end of said frame.

The front or driven roll is supported in the side frames 24 and 25 for movement'towards and away from the rear or driving roll 3|, to place the polishing belt under the desired tension, the driven roll 30 being moved forward and rearward by means of connecting rods 38 which have one end attached to sliding bearings 38a which carry the driven roll 30; the other end being attached to levers 38h mounted on ythe side K frames 24 and 25, respectively. To these levers are fixed one end of wire ropes 38C, the other end being secured to and coiled around a Vcommon shaft 38d extending across the polishing unit D and projecting through side frames 24 and 25. The shaft 38d is provided adjacent to the left side of the polishing unit D with a ratchet 38e and pawl 38f for sustaining tension. The

connecting rod 38 on the left side is threaded to screw into the 1ever-38b,'and has a hand wheel 38g mounted on the front end to permit movement of the left bearing, independent of the right bearing. This is used for controlling the tracking of the polishing belt. The lower stretch or run of the polishing belt is held against the work sheet C by the lower intermediate or pressure roll 32, which is preferably provided with a covering 32a. of rubber or other yieldable material which enables the belt to conform to the surface of said sheet.

As shown in the drawings, the work sheet C rests on a sheet a of heavy cardboardsupported von a sheet metal plate 39 that is spaced above the top 46 of the carriage B except at its ends where it is turned ldown and removably secured' to upstanding brackets 4| fixed to the ends of said carriage. During the reciprocating movement of the carriage, the work sheet supporting plate 39`supported thereon is also supported at all times directly below the portion of the work sheet engaged by the polishing belt. This support comprises a `horizontal roll 42 disposed'beneath and crosswise the work sheet sup- Located between the twov porting plate directly below the pressure roll 32 of the polishing unit with its ends journaled in brackets 43 located alongside of the side rails 2 of the framework on the projecting ends of the cross channels I2 thereof. At its ends, the sheet 39a of cardboard is held down on the supporting plate 39 by means of cross strips 44 secured thereto; and at the front end of said plate the work sheet is held down by means of a suitable hinged clamping plate 45.

The effective weight of the polishing unit D and its pivoted supporting frame E is substantially equalized by a counterweighted supporting mechanism comprising two upright supports or struts 46 arranged one on each side of the framework of the machine immediately forward of the horizontally disposed, vertically alined pressure and billy rolls 32 and 42, respectively. Each of these supporting rods or props is pivotally connected, as at 41, at its lower end to the rear arm of a balance lever 48 for vertical Swinging movement longitudinally of the machine, said balance lever extending'lengthwise of the machine alongside the adjacent side rail 2 thereof and being` journaled as at 49, for vertical swinging movement on a pedestal 50 located alongside of said side rail. Each supporting rod terminates at its upper end in a replaceable hardened steel pin 5| zontally pivoted polishing unit and is provided with a lock nut for clamping it in the desired position ofvertical adjustment. The lug 54 has a guide arm 56 depending therefrom which terminates below the lower end of the screw 53 in an inwardly extending portion 51 that is notched to straddle the supporting rod 46 for said screw. The forwardly extending long arm of each balance lever 48 is provided with a permanent, relatively heavy balance weight 58. One or more relatively light notched balance weights 59 are placed astraddle the long arm of the left hand balance lever to vary the effective pressureof the polishing belt on the Vwork sheet, a set'of such weights being provided andthe weights not in useY being placed astraddle a horizontal supporting bar 66 provided therefor alongside said balance 63 and provided with an operating handle 64 for:

swinging said cam upwardly against the underside of a bracket 65 fixed to said arm of said lever. Pivotally mounted, on the framework,.as at 66, for horizontal swinging movement crosswise of the long arm of the left hand balance lever 48 is a lever 61 that terminates at its upper end in an operating handle 68 and at its lower end in a pedal 69. This lever is provided with a locking lug 1E! adapted, when the pedal 69 is depressed, to swing across the upper edge ofl the long arm of left hand balance lever and thus limit the downward movement of the polishing unit sustained by thetwo balance levers.

As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, each of the supporting rods 46 comprises an upper section 1|, which Carries they pointed pin 5|, and a lower section 12, which is pivotally supported on the balance b'ar therefor and hasanaxialC bore adapted to sl'idably receive the lower end of said upper section, whereby the length of said rod may be varied. A setscrew 13' is provided for locking' said sections against 'relative axial movement.

yieldably supported on a cushioning member 16 of rubber or other suitable material that is sleeved on the upprV rod section 1|' and seats on` the upper end of the lower section 1'2, thus` forming a cushion support for the polishing unit. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the left hand side frame member 24 of the polishing head or unity D horizontally divided along a line located approximately atthe level of the tops of the belt rolls 30 and 3|' into an upper section 11 and a lower section 18. The two sections are removably secured together by means of bolts 1'9, the lower section supporting the three belt rolls 3U, 3| and 32. By this arrangement, the upper section of the side frame 24 may be lifted off the lower section thereof, thereby permitting removal andireplacement of the endless polishing belt by sliding the latter over said lower section without dismounting the rolls 3U, 3| and 32 journaled therein and without disturbing the other or right hand side frame member 25 or its supporting rod 46.

Asshown in Fig. 5, when it is desired to remove and replace the endless polishing belt 2S, the tension is relieved byreleasing the pawl 38j holding the ratchet rope shaft 38d and moving the lever 38DV rearward. A pipe or suitable extension 82 is slipped over the projecting end H3` of the cross bar 2B of the polishing unit, a suitable support r jack 84 is placed under the outer end ofl said pipe, and the handle 64 is operated to engage the cam 5| with the bracket 65 on the long arm of the left hand balance lever 48, thus lifting said arm of said lever upwardly and swinging the short arm thereof downwardly to disengage the supporting rod 4B thereon from its seat in the lower section 18 of said split side frame. This rod is then swung forwardly entirely clear of said frame, the supporting rod on the other side of the machine still remaining in operative position and still supporting the other or right hand frame member 215. In this position the bolts 19, connecting the upper and lower sections of the split left hand side frame member 24 are then removed. lA rod 88 is then inserted in the outer end of the'l'eft hand tubular side frame member |'9 through an openingl provided therefor in the cross bar 2|), and a suitable jack or lifting implement 8| is then engaged with the outer end of said rod, and the free end of the hinged frame E swung upwardly tolift said frame clear of left side frame member 24 (see Fig. 5).

-The polishing belt 29` is then pulled endwise off'the rolls 30, 3| and 32" over the loose frame section 18 onto the pipe 82, the space between the separated side frame sections 11 and 18 permitting the upper stretch of said belt to pass over the top of the lower side frame section 118. The

' handle 6'4 is then operated to raise the left hand supporting rod 46 and the locking lever 61 is swung across the upper edge of the long arm of the balance lever 48 that supports said rod. The support 84 for the cross bar 28 is then removed and the belt taken off and a new belt placed, as

shown in Fig. 5, over the removable cross bar extension 82. The support 84 is then replaced, the locking lever E1 is disengaged and the supporting rod 46 disengaged by vmeans of the cam El and swung free of lower section 18 of the spIi-t side frame 24 and the belt slipped over the rollers 30, 3| and 32. The lifting jack 8| is then released and removed, permitting the free end of the hinged frame E to move downwardly until the upper section 11 of the left side frame 24 rests on the lower section 18 thereof. The two frame sections 11 and 18 are then secured together by the bolts 19 and the lifting jack 84 is then released and removed, leaving the parts in the position shown in Figure 4.

By the arrangement described, the greater portion of the weight of the pivotally mounted polishing head D and its driving motor` 36 isv supported by the counterbalancing levers 48 and the desired pressure of the polishing unit on the work sheet is obtained by placing the proper number of detachable hand weights 59 on the left-hand balance lever. The polishing belt may be removed and replaced with a minimum effort and by the separation of the two sections of the split side frame 24 of the polishing head.

The polishing head D may be raised off the work sheet supporting plate 39a to permit the work sheet 39 to be mounted on or removed therefrom, by moving the long arm of the left hand balance lever 48 downwardly and securing said lever in this position by means of lock S8, thus lifting the rods 48 which are engaged with side frames 24 and 25. The sheet supporting plate moves with the carriage B relative to the polishing belt and is supported at all times immediately below the pressure roll 32 for the lower stretch of said belt by the billy roll 42, thus insuring continuous contact between the polishing belt and the work sheet from side to side of the latter as itis reciprocated back and forth between said belt and billy roll. The supporting rods 46 are easily disengaged from the side frames 23 and 24 and are adjustable as to length, and the rubber blocks 16 between the sections of said rodsprevent metal: to metal contact and thus cushion the polishing head against vibrations or chattering which tend to mar the finished surface of the sheet being polished. Obviously, the hereinbefore described polishing machine admits of considerable modi'- fcation without departing from the invention. Therefore, I do not wish. to be limited to the precise construction shown and described.

What I claim is:

l.; A polishing machine comprising a horizontally reciprocable work supporting carriage, vertically movable means located above said carriage for polishing the work thereon, a lever disposed alongside of said carriage and pivotally supported intermediate between its ends for vertical swinging movement, an extensible member pivotally supported at its lower end on one arm of said lever and adapted to be engaged with said polishing means to aiiord a cushion support f therefor, and means on the other arm of said lever for substantially counterbalancing the weight of said polishing means, said member comprising upper and lower sections and a cushioning member interposed therebetween.

2. A polishing machine comprising a horizontally reciprocable work supporting carriage, vertically movable means located above said carriage for polishing the work thereon, a lever disposed alongside of said carriage and pivotally supported intermediate between its ends for vertical swinging movement, a rod pivotally supported at its lower end on one arm of said lever and adapted to be engaged with said polishing means tol afford vertical ,support therefor', means on the other arm of said lever for substantially counterbalancing the weightpf said ,polishing means, said rod comprising upper and lower sections adjustable axially relative to each other, means for supported intermediate between its ends for vertical swinging movement, a member pivotally supported at its lower end on one arm.` of'said lever and adapted to afford vertical support for said polishing means, means on the other arm of lsaid lever for substantially counterbalancing theweight of said polishing means, said supporting member comprising upper and lower sections adjustable axially relative to each other, means for locking said sections in the desired position of relative axial adjustment, a non-metallic cushioning member for transmitting to said lower section the weight carried by said upper section, a member mounted on said polishing means for vertical adjustment relative thereto and adapted to seat on the upper end of said supporting member, and a guide member mounted o n said polis'hing -means and having a portion extending below said seat member in position to straddle-the upper end portion of said `support in the oper-4 ative position thereof.

v 4. A polishing machine comprising a work support, a polishing head arranged for vertical movement above said support` for polishing work supported thereon, means for substantially counterbalancing the weight of said polishing head to regulate the pressurel thereof on the work, said means including a supporting rod for said polishing head, said polishing head including spaced sideY frames and an endless polishing belt disposed therebetweenwith one stretch thereof located inside the plane of one edge of said side frames, one of said side frames comprising sections that are separable along a line adjacent to said stretch of said belt to thereby permit said stretch to pass therebetween, said supporting rod being mounted to be swung clear of said polishing head and belt.

5. A polishing machine comprising a horizontally reciprocable work supporting carriage, a polishing head arranged for vertical movement above said carriage for polishing work supported thereon,l means for substantially counterbalancing the weight of said polishing head to regulate the weight thereof on the work, said polishing head including spaced side frames and an endless polishing belt disposed therebetween with one stretch thereof located inside the plane ofv one edge of said side frames, one of said side frames comprising sections that are separable along a line adjacent to said stretch of said belt to there-A by permit said stretch to pass therebetween, and

supporting rollers for said belt disposed between l and crosswise of said side frames With their ends journaled therein, the ends of the rollers supported by the split side frame ibeing all journaled in one section thereof. Y

6. A polishing machine comprising a horizontally reciprocable work supporting carriage,v a supporting frame pivotally securedat one end to said machine for vertical swinging movement with its free end overhanging said carriage, a, polishing unit sustained by the free end of said*- supporting frame in position to engage the work on said carriage, said polishing unit comprising spaced side frames rigidly suspended from said-supporting frame, rollers interposed between and extending crosswise of said side frames with their ends journaled therein, an endless polishing belt passingaround said rolls,lan electricmotor mounted on said supporting frame and oper-vv atively connected with one of said rolls to-drive the same, and disengageable means for substantially counterbalancing the weight of said supporting frame and the polishing lunit supported thereon, the upper stretch of lsaid polishing belt being located below theiplane of the tops of said side frames, one of said side frames being split along a line parallel with and adjacent to said upper stretch of said belt whereby separation of said sections permits said upper stretch of said belt to pass therebetween.

7. A sheet metal polishing machine comprising a horizontally reciprocable work-supporting carriage, a work sheet supporting plate supported at its ends on said carriage and spaced above said Carriage between said ends, vertically movable.- Vmeans located above said carriage for polishing ai work sheet supported on said plate, a lever disposed alongside of said carriage and pivotally supported intermediate between its 'ends for vertical swinging movement, a member on one -arm of said lever and adapted to be engaged withsaid polishing means to afford vertical support therefor, means on the other arm of said lever' for substantially counterbalancing the weight of said polishing means, said polishing means including an endless polishing belt .and a pressure roller for holding said belt against said Worki' sheet, and a roller extending beneath said work'- sheet supporting plate and aiording support therefor immediately belowv said pressure vroller in all positions of the v,reciprocating movement of said carriage. y

8. A polishing machine comprising a work support, polishing means located above said support for Vertical movement relative thereto, and means for substantially counterbalancing the weight-of said polishing means, said counterbalancing means comprising a lever disposed below the level of said polishing means and pivotally supported intermediate between its ends for vertical swinging movement, an extensible longitudinally cushioned prop pivotally supported on one arm of said lever and extending upwardly therefrom into engagement with said polishing means to provide.

a removable support therefor, and counterbalancing weights mounted on the other arm of said lever.

v THEODORE F. PHILIPPI. 

